Blazers beat Knicks 118-90 to clinch playoff berth

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PORTLAND, Ore.(AP) -- Portland Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan
quickly congratulated his team after they locked up a playoff
spot. Brandon Roy said his coach was all business after that.

The Blazers didn't get much time to celebrate following their
playoff-clinching 118-90 victory over the New York Knicks on
Wednesday night. McMillan already had them focused on the trip
to Denver for Thursday night's game against the Nuggets.

"Coach came in and said, `Congratulations, you clinched.' And
then it was kind of like, `All right, we've got Denver
tomorrow,"' Roy said.

It is the second straight year the Blazers have made the
playoffs after a five-season drought. Portland lost in six games
to the Houston Rockets in the first round last year.

The victory was all the sweeter for the Blazers because of all
the injuries they've faced this season. Centers Greg Oden and
Joel Przybilla both sustained knee injures that knocked them out
for the season.

In all, 12 different Portland players have missed a combined 292
games this season, second in the league only to Golden State.
Only Andre Miller and Martell Webster have played in all of
Portland's games.

"Things were looking a little shaky early because of so many
injuries, but I really believe if you play this game the right
way, which these guys have done, you stick together, which
they've done, you're going to give yourself a chance to win,"
McMillan said. "They did."

The Blazers came into the game needing help to reach the
postseason. San Antonio defeated Houston 119-102 and Dallas beat
Memphis 106-102, meaning all Portland had to do was beat the
Knicks to seal it.

Those games were finished when the Blazers went into halftime
with a 65-38 lead over New York. They cruised the rest of the
way, leading by as many as 36 points.

"We had no energy on both ends of the floor," Knicks coach Mike
D'Antoni said. "And when you do that against a good team that is
preparing for the playoffs, they're going to be nights like
this."

Portland has won four straight and 12 of its last 14, including
six straight home victories. The Blazers have gone 15-5 since
the All-Star break and since their acquisition of former Knick
Marcus Camby in a trade with the Los Angeles Clippers.

David Lee had 20 points and 10 rebounds for the Knicks, who have
dropped the first three on a five-game road trip.

Knicks forward Al Harrington tweaked his left ankle in the third
quarter and did not return.

It was never close. Portland went ahead 50-30 in the first half
after Martell Webster's dunk following a timeout. The Blazers
led by as many as 28 in the opening half, with veteran Juwan
Howard coming off the bench to score 12 points.

Nicolas Batum hit a 3-pointer to put Portland up 80-44 before
the midway point of the third quarter. Before he took a seat on
the bench, Brandon Roy dunked to make it 92-63 late in the
quarter.

"It's all mental. You've got to want to play hard and play to
win," Knicks rookie Toney Douglas said. "When we face adversity
we can't just fall off. We've got to keep our composure and play
hard all game."

All of Portland's starters sat in the fourth. LaMarcus Aldridge
had 21 points, Batum finished 20 points and Roy had 16. The
Blazers won by their biggest margin this season.

The Knicks, who beat the Blazers 93-84 in December at Madison
Square Garden, were denied their first season sweep since
1999-2000.

It was Portland's last game this season against an Eastern
Conference foe. The Blazers went 17-13 against the East this
season.

NOTES: Former Blazer Chris Dudley, a Republican candidate for
Governor in Oregon, was among those on hand as the Blazers held
their final "Decade Night" of the season for the team's 40th
anniversary. Some fans even held campaign signs during the game.
... Former Blazer Brian Grant was also honored, as was current
Blazers broadcaster Antonio Harvey. ... Actor Timothy Hutton was
among the fans at the game. ... The Blazers have made the
playoffs 28 times since joining the NBA in 1970.